MEKONG RIVER CRUISE 7 days on RV Mekong Prestige II March 11, 2017 - 23 Days

Fares Per Person: $8,795 double/twin $11,725 single > Please add 0.3% GST. > Main Deck on ship — Fares are quoted above. > Upper Deck — add $200 per person D/T; $270 single Early Bookers: $300 discount on first 6 seats; $150 next 6 > Experience Points: Earn 173 points from this tour. Redeem 173 points if you book by December 7.

Includes  Transportation to/from Vancouver Airport  Driving tour of Hanoi  Flight from Vancouver to Siem Reap, Cambodia  Hanoi History Museum or Ethnology Museum  Current air taxes, fees and fuel surcharges  Vietnamese traditional Water Puppet Show  13 nights hotel accommodation and taxes  Sampan river trip through rice paddies  7 nights stateroom on board Mekong Prestige II  Tam Coc Caves  Cruise gratuities and cruise taxes  Halong Bay cruise on a traditional junk for one  Angkor temples including Angkor Wat day with overnight on board and Tai Chi lesson  Tuk tuk ride from hotel to Ta Prohm for sunrise  Tour of Ho Chi Minh City with Thien Hau Pagoda,  Apsara dance performance FITO Museum and Reunification Palace  Boat trip to Kampong Chhnang floating village  Dinner cruise on Saigon River on a junk  Wat Kampong Leu & Vipassana Dhura Pagodas  Ho Chi Minh Cooking School  Ox drawn carriage ride  Cu Chi Tunnels  Silk weaving workshop and visit with students at  Flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai a school in Koh Chong  Dinner cruise on Huangpu River  Khmer Apsara dancing show  Tour of Suzhou with Lingering Garden and silk mill  Tour of Phnom Penh including Royal Palace,  Cruise on the Grand Canal in Suzhou Silver Pagoda and National Museum  Shanghai Museum, Emerald Exhibition Centre  Tour of Tan Chau with fishing farm, silk and and Ming Dynasty Yuyuan Garden woven mats workshop, and rickshaw ride  Flight from Shanghai to Vancouver  Tour of Sa Dec with Marguerite Duras’ home and  Group Visa for Vietnam Caodaist Temple  Luggage handling at hotels  Boat tour to French Gothic Cathedral in Cai Be  Gratuities to ship staff, local guides and drivers  Flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and return  Knowledgeable Wells Gray tour director  Walking tour of Hanoi landmarks  51 meals: 21 breakfasts, 15 lunches, 15 dinners RV MEKONG PRESTIGE II The Mekong Prestige II was built in 2014 and was designed specifically to serve on the Mekong River with a shallow draft of only 1.6 metres. She has 32 staterooms and carries only 64 passengers, so this is a very intimate cruise. The staterooms have an average size of 22 square metres (236 square feet) and are located on Main Deck (included in tour fare quoted) or Upper Deck ($200 per person extra). Sun Deck is the topmost. The ship is 68 metres long and 13 metres wide. The dining room on Upper Deck serves breakfast and lunch buffet style, and dinner with a three course menu. Local and Asian entrees are featured along with international favourites. Beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee and tea are complimentary with lunch and dinner, and a full bar is available where you can purchase other beverages. Facilities include a pool, spa, internet, boutique shop, bubble bath pool, lounge and several bars. Electricity is 220 volts, so a converter and adapter to North American plugs is needed. English and German are the official languages on board, and shore excursions are conducted by an English-speaking guide. Laundry service is offered for a fee. The currency on board is the US dollar. All indoor areas are non- smoking and there is a designated area of the Sun Deck for smoking. Gratuities on board and for local guides throughout the tour are included. Entertainment is offered in the Panorama Lounge and includes dances and singing by local groups, cooking demonstrations, and lectures. Movies are shown here also, or you can choose from a large DVD library for personal viewing in your stateroom.

Itinerary Saturday, March 11: of a grand social and administrative metropolis Transportation is provided to Vancouver and we whose other buildings - palaces, public buildings, stay overnight at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver and houses - were all built of wood and are long Airport. since decayed and gone. We wake before dawn and take a “tuk-tuk” ride to visit the jungle- Sunday, March 12: Meals: B entwined temple, Ta Prohm, at sunrise. Dawn is After breakfast at the Fairmont, we go downstairs one of the most beautiful and haunting times to and check in at China Eastern Airlines. We cross visit the temples, whose ancient sandstone blocks the International Date Line (losing one day) and are gilded gold by the early morning rays. We go change planes in Shanghai, China. back to the hotel for breakfast then return to ad- mire the rest of Angkor. Starting with the magnifi- Monday, March 13: cent Angkor Wat, the largest Khmer temple and Our flight arrives in Siem Reap, Cambodia, at 10 finest example of Angkorian art and architecture, pm. Our coach and guide meet us and we drive we proceed to Angkor Thom. This royal fortified to Saem Siem Reap Hotel for a three night stay. city was built by King Jayavarman VII who reigned from 1181 to 1201. The city has five impressive Tuesday, March 14: Meals: B gates and a moat 100 metres wide. We enter via This is a day at leisure to relax and do as you wish, the imposing South Gate, topped with the four after the long flight from Vancouver. The hotel serenely smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara. Next, offers a restaurant, lounge, and large salt water we visit Bayon Temple, the Elephant Terrace and pool surrounded by fragrant frangipani trees. The the Terrace of the Leper King. You may also wish National Museum and night market are nearby. to watch the sunset at Pre Rup Temple. After din- ner, we enjoy the spectacular Apsara Dance Wednesday, March 15: Meals: B,L,D Performance. Siem Reap is home to the Temples of Angkor, built from 879 to 1191 AD when the Khmer civilization Thursday, March 16: Meals: B,L,D was at its height. They represent an astonishing It is a short drive from the hotel to the pier at and enduring architectural achievement. From Phnom Krom. Lake Tonlé Sap is a large shallow the great citadel of Angkor, the kings of the lake which seasonally expands to 250 km long Khmer empire ruled over a vast domain that with a depth ranging from one metre to 10 me- reached from what is now southern Vietnam to tres. Welcome aboard RV Mekong Prestige II and Yunan, China, and westward to the Bay of Ben- settle into your stateroom for the week-long voy- gal. The structures we see at Angkor today, more age down the mighty Mekong River. Lunch is than 100 temples in all, are the surviving remains served and we cast off for the afternoon crossing of Tonlé Sap. Note: If the lake is too low, alterna- to a silk workshop. A rickshaw ride through this tive arrangements will be made by coach or fascinating town takes us back to the pier. speed boat to reach the ship. Wednesday, March 22: Meals: B,L,D Friday, March 17: Meals: B,L,D The French writer Marguerite Duras spent parts of We arrive at Kampong Chhnang, downstream her childhood in Sa Dec, a sprawling busy town from the outlet of Lake Tonlé Sap. This is a busy on the Mekong Delta. We see the house that is a rural port town with bustling markets. The life of the small museum for her novel, The Lover. We also entire population is connected to the Tonlé Sap visit a Caodaist Temple and take a stroll through River with local people using the canals which the colourful local market. During the afternoon, criss-cross the town. We go ashore to stroll through we cruise through Vinh Long Province, located in the scenic market and ride on local boats to visit the middle of the Delta region, between the two the authentic floating village. Back on Prestige, branches of the Mekong. In Cai Be, we tour on we have lunch while sailing towards Kampong local boats to see the French Gothic Cathedral. Tralach. We travel by coach to discover the very We walk along the river bank and visit a manufac- charming Vihara of the Wat Kampong Leu Pago- turer of rice paper and coconut sweets. A tradi- da which has beautiful wall paintings and fres- tional music show follows dinner. coes. Then we ride by ox-drawn carriage (and coach) to Oudong which was the capital city of Thursday, March 23: Meals: B,D Cambodia between 1618 and 1866. Erected on a We dock at My Tho and say farewell to Mekong hilltop, there are numerous stupas dating to the Prestige. A transfer is provided to Saigon Airport last Khmer Kings. We see the Vipassana Dhura and we fly to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling colonial Pagoda, a place of meditation for Buddhist capital. Hanoi is described as an old-fashioned monks. city in style, but is punctuated by the endless flow of mopeds and commerce. It is a city of peaceful Saturday, March 18: Meals: B,L,D lakes, tree-lined boulevards, and oriental pago- In Koh Chong, we stroll through this silk weaving das. An area called the Old French Quarter has village and visit a local workshop and a pagoda, crumbling houses crammed into narrow alleyways and meet pupils in a primary school. During lunch, that are still named after the goods that were we cruise to Phnom Penh where the Tonlé Sap traded there - Silk Street, Gold Street, even Fried River meets the Mekong River. This afternoon, we Fish Street! Our accommodation for three nights is explore Wat Phnom, built in 1373, after which the at The Ann Hotel. This afternoon, there is an orien- city was named. Dinner is on board, followed by a tation walk with our Vietnam guide, visiting Ha- traditional Khmer Apsara dancing show. noi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. Sunday, March 19: Meals: B,L,D Tonight, savour a welcome dinner of authentic The capital city of Cambodia still retains its old Vietnamese cuisine . French colonial architecture in riverside streets. A morning tour includes the Royal Palace and Silver Friday, March 24: Meals: B,L Pagoda. The National Museum is another high- Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for light, with outstanding displays of Khmer crafts. An everyone. Our city tour by coach goes to some afternoon excursion is arranged to the former High key sites: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house, School which was converted to a detention cen- the One Pillar Pagoda, the Presidential Palace, tre under the Red Khmer’s rule between 1975 and the Temple of Literature, the Quan Thanh Temple, 1979. There is a shopping opportunity at the Rus- the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and West Lake, sian Market before we return to the ship. and a museum (choose between the History Mu- seum and the Ethnology Museum). In the evening, Monday, March 20: Meals: B,L,D enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a Leaving Phnom Penh, we cruise past the Me- unique Vietnamese art form hailing from South- kong’s timeless villages and river life with extensive east Asia’s wet-rice culture. fishing activities, then cross the border to Vietnam. Saturday, March 25: Meals: B,L Tuesday, March 21: Meals: B,L,D This morning, we drive to Ninh Binh. The first stop is We arrive at Tan Chau, a remote small town on at Hoa Lu, the first royal capital of Vietnam’s cen- the Mekong River. We ride in small boats to visit a tralized feudal state from 968 to 1009 led by three fishing farm, then go ashore to see a local work- dynasties of Dinh and Le. Then we drive through shop making woven mats, and take a short walk the countryside to Tam Coc and take a sampan on a river through the rice paddies to the sacred some of the best examples of French colonial Tam Coc Caves. Enormous limestone karsts jut out architecture. Finally, we enjoy a dinner cruise on from the green rice fields giving rise to this place’s an Indochina junk on Saigon River while admiring nickname, “Halong on Land”. We float through the skyline of this cosmopolitan city. three natural caves. Wednesday, March 29: Meals: B,L Sunday, March 26: Meals: B,L,D We drive to the Ho Chi Minh agricultural villages Leaving Hanoi, we journey east to Vietnam's and see buffalo, cows, fish, prawns, and mush- greatest natural wonder, Halong Bay. We board a rooms. Then you can try your hand at being a beautiful traditional wooden junk and spend a full farmer, either in the rice paddies or a garden. At day and night cruising among the bay's 3,000 lunch, a master chef presents a cooking show in magnificent limestone islets. We also visit a float- front of us and we dine on his creations. This after- ing village and a huge cave filled with eye- noon, we explore the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, an catching rock formations. In the evening, when underground labyrinth of passageways used by the boat is anchored in the middle of the stunning the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War (or lagoon, we enjoy a wonderful seafood meal and “American War” as it is called there) as protection later there is an opportunity for fishing from the against American air raids. If you are inclined, you side of the boat. We stay overnight on board. can even crawl through sections of the tunnels to better understand what life was like for the Viet- Monday, March 27: Meals: B,D namese soldiers during wartime. The rest of the As the sun rises over Halong Bay, join a Tai Chi day is leisure time to explore Ho Chi Minh City on lesson for some morning exercise. Later, we ex- your own, or relax at the hotel. We keep our plore a beautiful limestone grotto, then relax on rooms until midnight, then go to the airport. Our the junk while cruising back to the dock. A transfer flight on China Eastern leaves at 2 a.m. (this flight is provided to Hanoi airport and we fly to Ho Chi operates only once a day). Minh City (also known as Saigon), the largest and busiest city in Vietnam with a population of 8 Thursday, March 30: Meals: B,D million people. It is a city of amazing contrasts: The flight arrives in Shanghai at 7 a.m. and we go elegant new international hotels, exclusive restau- straight to the Wyndham Bund East Hotel which rants, and trendy bars side-by-side with roadside has been specially booked for early check-in. noodle stalls, street children and vociferous cyclo Today is free time until evening when we take a drivers. There are elegant colonial French boule- dinner cruise on the Huangpu River. On one bank vards and buildings, the Cathedral and the river- is The Bund, a landmark of Shanghai. Lining the front, next to ramshackle wooden shops. We stay boulevard of the waterfront are grandiose west- two nights at the Bay Saigon Hotel. ern-style buildings dating to the early 19th century. On the other side is the cosmopolitan skyline of Tuesday, March 28: Meals: B,L,D the new Shanghai including the soaring land- On our full-day tour of Ho Chi Minh City, we learn marks of the Shanghai Tower, completed in 2015 about its turbulent past and get a glimpse into the and 2nd tallest in the world, and the Oriental Pearl fascinating variety the city has to offer. In the Tower. morning, we head to Cho Lon, the city’s China- town district, and discover the markets and shops Friday, March 31: Meals: B,L,D of the area, and also visit Thien Hau Pagoda We spend the day in Suzhou, known as the which is dedicated to the goddess of the sea. “Garden City” due to its many classical gardens, Next, visit the FITO Museum, known as the first renowned for their charming natural beauty and Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine. With harmonious construction. First, we stroll through nearly 3,000 items relevant to traditional Vietnam- the Lingering Garden which is among the finest ese medicine, the FITO museum is a fascinating gardens in China. Suzhou is also known as “Venice place to explore Vietnamese culture. This after- of the East” because of the many canals, ponds noon, we see the Reunification Palace that was and streams. We take a cruise along the Grand the former residence of the President of South Canal to view life along China’s golden waterway Vietnam until April 30, 1975. Next, visit Notre Dame in its heyday. Then, visit a silk spinning mill and Cathedral and the Central Post Office that are learn how silk is created from mulberry-munching silkworms to produce the finest thread and cloth. the bustling shopping district of Nanjing Road, Before heading back to Shanghai, we take a walk then to the Ming Dynasty Yuyuan Garden which is along Tiger Hill, one of Suzhou’s scenic attractions considered one of the four greatest Chinese gar- containing the Tiger Pagoda and Sword Pool. dens. After our farewell dinner, we go to Shanghai Pudong Airport for our China Eastern flight which Saturday, April 1: Meals: B,L,D leaves just before midnight. We regain the day lost This morning, we visit the Shanghai Museum to see as we fly east across the Date Line and arrive in ancient Chinese art, furniture and jade, and the Vancouver at 7 pm. Accommodation is again at Emerald Exhibition Centre. This afternoon, we walk the Fairmont YVR. along the famous Bund, a kilometre-long boule- vard beside the Huangpu River. Lined by colonial Sunday, April 2: Meals: B European architecture, this area captures the Transportation is provided back to Victoria. western influence of the old days. We continue to

Tour Notes: Currency & Expenses: The US dollar is widely ac- Activity: This tour is rated as Activity Level 2 cepted in Cambodia, Vietnam and China. You but there are some days that could be can change US dollars to local currency at banks rated as Level 3. Please be aware that or exchange offices. Gratuities have been includ- some days could be rigourous activity, but you ed for all group meals, guides, drivers and the may be able to opt out. It will be necessary to ship’s staff. As this tour has been planned and climb many stairs, walk on uneven surfaces, walk priced 8 months before departure, it is possible at least a kilometre, and stand for an extended that exchange fluctuations could affect the fare, time on walking tours, if you are going to partici- in which case you will be notified of the increase pate in all activities and see everything in this or decrease. Airlines can add fuel surcharges or itinerary. Some riverside villages do not have taxes can increase anytime. docks, and the boat pulls up to the river bank for Documentation: A passport is required, valid 6 you to get off. This tour is not suitable for anyone months after return date. A visa is required for requiring a walker. There can be long walks in the Cambodia and can be obtained individually on- large airports and you are urged to request assis- line in advance ($30 fee). A visa is required in tance at check-in if this could be a concern. If you advance for Vietnam and Wells Gray Tours will are not able to participate in Activity Level 2, Wells apply for a group visa; the $110 per person fee is Gray Tours recommends that you bring a com- included in the tour fare. A visa is not required for panion to assist you. The tour director, drivers and China, as the stay in Shanghai is less than 72 hours. local guides have many responsibilities, so please Triples: Triples are not available on this tour due to do not expect them, or your fellow travellers, to the bed layout on the ship. provide ongoing assistance.

Tour Policies Payments: A deposit of $1,000 per person is requested at time of booking and the balance is due December 7, 2016. Discounts: Early bookers receive $300 discount on first 6 seats and $150 on next 6 seats for booking early with deposit. The discount is not offered after December 7. Cancellation Policy: Up to August 31, 2016, your tour payments will be refunded less an administrative charge of $50 per person. From September 1 to December 7, 2016, the cancellation charge is $400 per person. From December 8, 2016 to January 5, 2017, the cancellation charge is 40% of the tour fare. From January 6 to February 7, 2017, the cancel- lation charge is 80% of the tour fare. After February 7, there is no refund. Fare Changes: Changes to currency exchange rates or taxes and surcharges from airlines and other tour suppliers can occur at any time and are beyond the control of Wells Gray Tours, therefore Wells Gray Tours reserves the right to in- crease fares due to such changes up until the time of departure. Travel Insurance: A Comprehensive Insurance policy is available through Wells Gray Tours and coverage is provided by Travel Guard. Policies purchased at deposit include a waiver of the pre-existing condition clause for medical and can- cellation claims, otherwise policies can be purchased no later than at final payment. Please contact us for details. Tour 25: This is a Tour 25 departure, meaning capacity of tour is limited to 25 participants or less, a more intimate travel experience. Photo Credit: Mekong Prestige II e-points: This tour earns 173 e-points. Each time you travel on a Wells Gray tour, you earn Experience Points, or e-points. One e-point equals $1. Redeem your points on select tours or accumulate enough points to earn a free tour! Redemp- tions offered until December 7. Consumer Protection BC Licence: #65842